Soil particles separator,collector and viewer



2 I. n 1 3 e 9 e m 7 T 5 9U t 6 JAMES E. WEBB ADMINISTRATOR OF THE NATIONAL AER AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION ARTICLES SEPARATOR, COLLECTOR AND VIEWER D m8 9 s1 4 l 2 v 4 M 1 J o d t c .m i 0 F DOUGLAS 6 RITCHIE .YVEY/OR v m WWW ATTORNEYS Oct. 14, 1969 JAMES E. WEBB 3,47 2,3 72

ADMINISTRATOR OF THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS ARTICLES SEPARATOR, COLLECTOR AND VIEWER AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION SOIL P Filed Jan. 24, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet WWQM ATTORNE Y;

United States Patent us. 01. 209- 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A mechanism useful in an unmanned spacecraft for screening a soil sample to obtain particles for television viewing. "The mechanism comprises a bin for receiving the soil sample, apparatus for rapidly oscillating the bin about a pivot to create centrifugal forces pushing the soil particles through coarse and fine screens, a heated plastic sheet for receiving particles thrown out of the bin, and a translating mechanism for carrying the plastic to avidicon tube for television observation of the particles. The translating mechanism includes slides which move along rods, each rod hermetically enclosed within a bellows to prevent the evaporation of lubricants when operated in a vacuum environment such as exists on the moon.

l Origin of invention The invention described herein was made in the performance of work under a NASA contract and is subject to the provisions of Section 305 ofthe National Aeronautics andSpace Act of 1958, Public Law 85-568 (72 Stat. 435; 42 USC 2457).

Background of the invention This invention relates to apparatus for separating particles by passage through screens.

One important phase in the exploration of the moon and of other planets by unmanned spacecraft involves the identification of soil compositions. Mechanisms for gathering up a soil sample are easily designed, but the separation of the sample into particles for observation is difficult. While the sample couldbe sifted through screens, gravity is insuificient on the moon, and some planets, to force the sample through the screen. Moreover, in a vacuum environment the particles have a tendency to stick together and to a screen. In addition to the problems of separating out the particles, difficulties are encountered in the gathering of separated particles so that they can be readily viewed by a television camera or the like.

Objects and summary of the invention Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for enabling the viewing of particles in a sample of material, which operates in a vacuum and low-gravity environment.

Another object is to provide apparatus for separating and screening particles which provides high forces tending to separate the particles and tending to push the particles through a screen.

Yet another object is to provide apparatus for encapsulating particles for television viewing.

Still another object is to provide a mechanism for enabling the sliding of a stage while maintaining the sliding mechanism in a sealed atmosphere.

The present invention provides a mechanism for separating soil samples by unmanned spacecraft, including a bin for receiving soil samples and a mechanism for pivotally oscillating the bin so that particles pass through coarse and fine screens into various bin chambers. The oscillation of the bin occurs about an axis to set up 3,472,372 Patented Oct. 14, 1969 centrifugal forces pushing the particles through the screens. Bumpers are provided for suddenly stopping the bin at its extremes of pivoting to provide tangential shocks that separate the particles and prevent their adhesion in a vacuum environment. In addition, large pellets are included in the bin chambers to keep the particles stirred up. After several minutes of vibrations, slots in the bin chambers are opened and the bin is oscillated to cause the coarse and fine particles to be thrown out of the bin.

The particles thrown out of the bin through the slots are captured by a preheated plastic sheet placed near the slots. After suflicient particles have been deposited on the plastic sheet, another sheet is pressed against the deposited particles to securely encapsulate them. The capsule is then moved under a vidicon tube for enabling television viewing of the coarse and fine particles, which lie on different parts of the plastic sheet.

The stage which holds the plastic sheets slides a considerable distance from the position above the bins to a position under the vidicon tubes. The sliding mechanism must be protected against the vacuum environment yet must allow the stage to slide a considerable distance. To protect the sliding mechanism, two bellows are provided which seal the sliding mechanism against the ambient atmosphere. One bellows extends between the vidicon camera position and the stage and is collapsed as the stage moves toward the vidicon camera, while the other bellows extends between the bin positions and the stage for expanding as the stage moves toward the vidicon camera.

A more complete understanding of the invention may be had by considering the following specification and claims when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a broken isometric view of the particle separator constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a partial side elevation view of the encapsulating mechanism of the particle separator of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation view of a bin of the particle separator of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a partial pictorial view of the translation mechanism of the particle separator of FIGURE 1.

Description of the preferred embodiments FIGURE 1 illustrates one embodiment of the invention for receiving soil samples in bins 10 and 12 and enabling the viewing of particles of the samples by a vidicon camera 14. The apparatus is generally a portion of a spacecraft landed on an extraterrestrial body, such as the moon, and the soil samples are provided by a mechanical arm (not shown) which scoops: up some of the ground area and deposits it in one of the bins through an opening 16 or 18 therein. The bins are pivotally mounted on a separator housing 11 by a fiexure support 20 and are vibrated about this support by a vibrator solenoid 2.2. The vibration about the flexure support 20 causes particles in the soil sample to pass through screens in the bin. After a sample has been deposited in one of the bins, such as bin 10, and the bins have been vibrated for several minutes to separate the particles, covers (shown in FIGURE 3) over slots 24 and 2-6 are opened. The bins are then vibrated for a short period of time to throw out the particles through the slots 24 and 26 onto a heated plastic receiving sheet 34 which captures the particles.

The plastic receiving sheet 34 is positioned on the bottom of a slide stage 30. The slide stage 30 is initially positioned below a heating plate 32, which is held on a clamp 33. The heating plate 32 beats the sheet 34 to a tacky consistency immediately prior to removal of covers on the slots 24 and 26. The sheet 34 is positioned to receive the particles emerging from the slots, and these particles stick to the heated plastic. After particles have been thus'deposited on the sheet, the slide stage 30 is moved in the direction of the arrow 31 until it is beneath the end portion 37 of the clamp 33. At this position, an encapsulating sheet is applied to the receiving sheet 34.

FIGURE 2 is a partial view of the mechanism of FIG- URE 1, showing the apparatus for encapsulating particles held on the receiving sheet 34. After the sheet receives the particles, the slide stage 30 on which the sheet is held is moved to the position shown at 30a. A lower clamp 41 which holds an encapsulating sheet 28, is located below the slide stage in its position at 30A. The lower clamp 41 includes a heater for heating the encapsulating sheet 28 to a tacky consistency. After the sheet 28 has been thus heated, the lower clamp 41 is moved upwardly toward the slide stage 30A by conventional means such as a motor 43 that rotates a nut 45 on its shaft to advance a screw 47 fixed to the clamp 41. In the position at 41A, the lower clamp holds the heated encapsulating sheet 28 against the receiving sheet 34 to encapsulate the particles held thereon. The lower clamp 41 is then moved down again. Thereafter, the slide stage 30 is moved in the direction of the arrow 31 toward a viewing station 38, shown in FIGURE 1.

At the viewing station 38, the capsule formed by a portion of the plastic encapsulating sheet 28 and the sheet 34 is brought between an illuminator 4t) and a lens system 42. Light passing from the illuminator 40 through the capsule and the lens assembly 42 passes through a hole at the viewing station 38, is deflected by a mirror 44, passes through an analyzer/neutral density filter 46 and enters an opening in the vidicon camera 14. An image of the particles is converted to electrical signals by the vidicon camera 14, delivered to a transmitter, and transmitted to receiving stations on the earth.

FIGURE 3 is a side sectional view of the bin of FIGURE 1. The bin comprises an elongated chamber separated into a first compartment 48 for receiving soil samples through the opening 16, a second chamber 50 for receiving coarse particles of less than a predetermined size from the first chamber 48, and a third chamber 52 for receiving fine particles from the second chamber 50. A coarse screen 54 separates the first and second chambers and a fine screen 56 separates the second and third chambers. The bin is pivotally mounted at by reason of attachment to a flexure support at 20. Slots 24 and 26, located on a side of each screen 54 and 56 which is oppolsite to the pivot point 20, enable the exhaustion of par tic es.

When the bin is vibrated by the vibrator solenoid 22, it oscillates about the flexure support 20 by plus and minus 8 from its center position, taking the extreme position defined by the lines 58 and 60. Bumpers 62 and 64 attached to the separator housing limit movement of the bin between these extreme positions, and also serve to stop the bin abruptly at its extreme positions, by contacting the upper and lower Walls of the bin. The rapid oscillations about flexure support 20, such as 20 cycles per second for a bin 10 which is three inches long, with a maximum arc of 4 inch, provides a centrifugal force which peaks at 7 g. This force causes particles to move through the coarse and fine screens 54 and 56 with considerable impetus. Additionally, the abrupt stopping of the pivoting by the bumpers 62 and 64 results in large tangential accelerations, resulting in the particles moving violently back and forth across the screen and facilitating their separation in spite of bonding action which often occurs in a vacuum environment.

In order to further facilitate particle separation, pellets 61 are initially included in both chambers 50 and 52. The pellets 61 are included to stir up the particles in each bin to prevent their sticking together, and to dislodge particles Which stick to a screen to keep the screens cleared. The pellets are short cylinders constructed of the same plastic used for the receiving sheets 34 and 36 and for the encapsulating sheet 28. Thus, any dust from the pellets does not contaminate the particles, since such dust melts into the heated plastic sheets. The pellets 61 are large enough so that they do not move through the screen 56 or the slots 24 and 26 in the bin.

During the first period of vibration of the bin 10, after deposition of a particle sample in the first chamber 48, covers 66 and 68 disposed over the slots 24 and 26 are closed. The cover 66 is pivotally attached at 70 to a hinge fixed to the bin 10. A spring 72 having one end attached to the bin 10 and the other end attached to the cover 66, tends to spring open the cover 66 to uncover the slot. Similarly, cover 68 is pivoted at 74 and spring-biased toward an open position by spring 76. Pins and 82 hold the covers to protuberances on the bin, to keep the covers closed. A solenoid (not shown) pulls the pins 80 and 82 to release thecovers 66 and 68 and allow them to spring to an open position shown by dotted lines at 84 and 86. Hinged covers are shown to maintain a minimum of friction in springing open, but slidable covers could be used instead.

After the sample has been deposited into first chamber 48, and the bin 10 has been vibrated for a sutficient time, such as several minutes, to allow particles to sift through the coarse and fine screens, the solenoid operating the pins 80 and 82 is operated. Thereupon, the covers 66 and 68 fly open. Further vibration of the bin by the solenoid 22 causes the coarse and fine particles to be projected out of the openings 24 and 26 in the bin. The plastic film 34 positioned above the bin, receives the particles, and, due to its tacky nature from heating by the heating plate 32, holds the particles. The slide stage 30 can then be moved to the end position 37 of the clamp assembly for encapsulation.

The translation of the slide stage between the heating plate 32 and viewing station 38 involves considerable movement. The slide stage 30 is guided by guide shafts 88 and 90 which extend between guide shaft supports 107 and 111. The guide shafts 88 and 90 are positioned within slide bearings 92 and 94, and the bearings are attached to the slide stage 38. In order to facilitate movement of the slide bearings 92 and 94 along the guide shafts 88 and 90, lubrication is provided between them. In a vacuum environment such lubrication is likely to evaporate and the slide bearings are likely to seize on the guide shaft and not move. To prevent this, a hermetically sealed environment is provided about the guide shafts 88 and 90.

The area about the guide shafts 88 and 90 is hermetically sealed by means of bellows. Two bellows 96 and 98 extend between the slide bearings 92 and 94 and the guide shaft support 187 nearest the bins. Another pair of bellows 100 and 102 extends between the slide bearings 92 and 94 and the guide shaft support 111 adjacent to the viewing station 38. When the slide stage 30 is under the heating plate 32, the bellows 96 and 98 are in their fully collapsed position, while the bellows 100 and 102 are fully extended. When the Slide stage 30 is at the viewing station 38, the bellows 96 and 98 are fully extended and the bellows 100 and 102 are fully collapsed. In all positions, the bellows reliably seal the area about the guide shafts 88 and 90, which they cover. This sealing is reliable inasmuch as it does not depend upon sliding seals which readily develop leaks.

A better view of the guide shafts 88 and 90 and the four bellows disposed thereabout is provided in FIGURE 4. The slide stage 30 is moved by a drive motor 104 which turns the guide shaft 88. Threads on the guide shaft 88 allow it to function as a lead screw. A ball bearing nut 93 on the slide bearing 92 engages the threads on the shaft 88 so that the slide stage moves as the motor turns. Thus, the housing 11 defines three stations, located at the area near the bins, the area at the vidicon camera, and

the intermediate area where encapsulation occurs. The rods 88 and 90 serve as means for guiding the slide between the stations. The bellows, including one pair extending between the vidicon station area of the housing and the slide, and the other extending between the station near the bins and the slide stage, hermetically seal the area about the rods.

In addition to movement between a location under the heating plate 32 and the viewing station 38, the slide stage 30 is required to move laterally to enable the bringing of many portions of the capsule in line with the field of view of the vidicon camera 14.

In the particle separator shown in FIGURE 1, two bins are provided to enable the viewing of two separate soil samples. Each of the bins and 12 may be filled with a soil sample, both of the bins vibrated, particles thrown from both bins onto the plastic sheets 34 and 36 at the same time, and the two sheets encapsulated by an encapsulating film 28 at the same time.

The sequence of operations can be controlled by a set of cams that are rotated by a timing motor to close switches that operate the solenoid 22 for the screening operation, the drive motor 104 for moving the slide stage, the motor 43 for operating the clamp, and so forth. Such timing motors are well known in the art, being used extensively in operating automatic washing machines and other household and industrial items. Alternatively, a human operator can send signals to a receiver at the particle separator to close switches that control energization of solenoids and motors, to thereby control the sequence of operations.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it should be understood that many modifications and variations may be resorted to by those skilled in the art, and the scope of the invention is limited only by a just interpretation of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A particle separator comprising:

bin means for receiving a sample;

means defining a pivot point coupled to said bin means;

oscillating means coupled to said bin for pivoting said bin means back and forth about said pivot point; screen means within said bin means for regulating the passage of particles therethrough; walls defining an opening in said bin means on a side of said screen means opposite said pivot point for enabling the ejection of particles therefrom;

particle-gathering means disposed adjacent to said bin means for holding particles ejected from said opening; and

moving means for shifting the position of said particlegathering means, said moving means comprising stage means for holding said particle-gathering means, bearing means for supporting said stage means, elongated guide means engaged with said bearing means for guiding its movement therealong, and bellows means disposed about said guide means, said bellows means having a first end sealed to said bearing means and a second end in sealing relationship to an end of said guide means.

2. The particle separator described in claim 1 wherein said particle gathering means comprises a sheet-like piece of material composed of a substance which has a tacky consistency when heated, and means for heating said sheet-like piece of material.

3. The particle separator described in claim 1 including bumper means for abruptly halting the pivoting of said bin means, whereby to impart tangential forces to particles in said bin means.

4. An oscillating particle separator comprising:

a bin for receiving particle samples, said bin having at least one screen dividing said bin into a first chamber for initially receiving said particle samples and a second chamber for receiving particles from said first chamber which are smaller than a predetermined size, and including an opening formed in the walls of said bin at said second chamber for exhausting particles;

means for pivoting said bin to create centrifugal forces tending to move particles through said screen from said first chamber to said second chamber;

gathering means for receiving particles exhausted through said opening;

a slide stage for carrying said gathering means;

bearing means attached to said slide stage for supporting it;

a viewing station for viewing particles gathered by said particle-gathering means;

shaft means having an end portion disposed adjacent to said viewing station, for carrying said bearing means to said viewing station; and

bellows means disposed about said shaft means, said bellows means having a first end in sealing engagement with said bearing means and a second end in sealing engagement with said end portion of said shaft means adjacent to said viewing station.

5. The oscillating particle separator described in claim 4 wherein said bin includes a third chamber, and a second screen dividing said second and third chambers to permit only particles smaller than a second predetermined size to pass into said third chamber, and an opening formed in the walls of said bin at said third chamber for exhausting particles.

6. The oscillating particle separator described in claim 4- including second bellows means disposed about said shaft means, said second bellows means having a first end in sealing engagement with said bearing means and a second end in sealing engagement with an end portion of said shaft opposite said viewing station.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,591,378 7/1926 Hansen 209--257 XR 2,076,554 4/1937 Drinker 73-28 XR FRANK W. LUTTER, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

